As 2007 was drawing to a close, it very quickly became apparent that the proposed 2008 Snowkite Estonia trip wasn't going to happen. Unfortunately, the majority of those who were on the 2007 trip had various commitments to attend to and it meant that planning another trip could not go ahead. Everyone was disappointed that they could not make it but that's life.

The thought of finding an opportunity to snowkite again still burned strong in my mind and so I decided to explore the possibilities. At first, I began to think about Europe and was soon drawn to France , having seen so many pieces of snowkiting film footage. I was really looking for a snowkite school where suitable tuition would result in better skills but I just could not seem to find anything on the net. I do remember being told of one particular instructor and given his email address. I soon sent off my inquiry and eagerly awaited a reply that would possibly result in a dash to the nearest travel agent. Alas, I was to be disappointed when the reply finally did arrive. No disrespect to the person who replied but his command of English was poor and the email didn't really make any sense to me. From that moment on I decided to go further afield!

I had seen various descriptions of the snowkiting in Utah , USA and decided that if an opportunity presented itself, I would take it - after all, Sterling was strong against the Dollar and that would make a difference.

I came across Wind Over Water Kiteboarding located in the heart of San Fransisco Bay and owned by professional kiteboarder and big wave rider, Jeff Kafka. During the winter, Jeff organizes snowkite trips in Utah and after an exchange of several emails, I had dates arranged. Jeff informed me that the area he uses was Skyline Ridge, rated by Kiteboarding and Kiteworld magazines as the best snowkiting location in the United States . The excitement was certainly building!

My trip started on February 13 th when I left Dublin en route to Chicago (-11c on arrival), a flight of some 7.5hrs. From Chicago I flew on to Salt Lake City which took another 3.5hrs. Jeff picked me up and before leaving Salt Lake City , we picked up Kristen Parkhouse – this was her third trip with Jeff. After a 2 hour drive through some beautiful scenery we arrived at our destination, Wind Walker Guest Ranch, located in the heart of Utah , in the Sanpete Valley . This I was told is the largest valley in the world surrounded by mountains on all sides. It was great to be out of the city, away from major traffic and soaking up the peaceful atmosphere of the Sanpete Valley . When I arrived in Utah it was snowing and I soon heard that there had been some of the biggest snowfalls in ten years and certainly at the lower levels of the ranch there was around 3ft of snow. What must it be like in the mountains was all I could think of.

Our first visit up Provo canyon to Skyline the next day was simply stunning, beautiful blue skies and more and more snow the higher we climbed. Having reached the parking area, I soon realized why this area is a mecca for kiters and snowmobilers. I remember reading somewhere that annual snowfall at Skyline is around 700 inches and this means powder. The summit is mostly rolling hills providing great kiting terrain without rock cliffs. There are cornices and steep terrain off of the ridge to be wary of, but the main kiting area is Bosco's Ridge which faces the predominant wind out of the Northwest. Bosco's Ridge is named after Brian Schenck from Ozone kites – apparently it was his nickname when he was a kid.

One of the first things that I noticed at Skyline was the effect of the altitude. The combination of moving around in deep snow at a height of some 10,000ft soon became apparent. Thank God for snowmobiles! It was great to be able to travel around to launch sites on the snowmobile and that made things a lot easier. Over the week, we had some great kiting at Bosco Ridge and one day due to foggy conditions we dropped down to a lower elevation to a huge area called Electric Lake. The winds were lighter here but it was great to cruise the powder with a 10m Access or 12m Frenzy. Later that same day we returned to the top, the skies had cleared and the wind was cranking. I spent the afternoon riding with a 7.5m Frenzy. We kited to sundown and although bitterly cold nobody cared as everyone was having such a great time. When Tom (one of the guys from California ) and I met up later, we just laughed at each other as our beards were completely iced up. That certainly was a day that I shall never forget. As someone who is new to snowkiting, it was also a great pleasure to watch Jeff as he pulled off a few tricks or flew over my head and down the hill. I also had the unexpected pleasure of meeting the guru himself, Mr. Robert Whitall of Ozone. After a little chat, Robert was kind enough to do a few passes so that I could photograph him in the air. He was so smooth and made it all look so effortless.

That really sums up the whole week, fantastic kiting in the most beautiful surroundings, returning to the great hospitality of Wind Walker and just chatting by the fire, exchanging favorite memories of the day's kiting. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Loretta, owner of Wind Walker for her hospitality and Jeff, Kristian, Monita, Kristen, Mike, Chris, Dirk and Tom for their great company over the week – it couldn't have been better.

The week's kiting, food and lodging cost around £500 and the return flights £417. I didn't even have to bring my own kites. I had the use of various kites such as Access and Frenzy. Ozone kites are very popular there but so too are the inflatables.

Since coming home, several people have asked one question ‘would I go back again?' The answer is simply, damn right I would! It's a bit depressing coming back to grey skies and rain. I have vowed to return next year as have my new friends from California and I just wonder if there might be any interest from some of my kiting friends over here. If reading this has sparked a little interest, have a look at the photos in the Gallery as I think that they may paint a better picture of the Skyline area than I could hope to do in words. Enjoy!

James.